Abstract: Red-eye detection based on red region detection with eye confirmation initially identifies pixels that correspond to the color of red-eye within an image. A determination is then made as to whether these identified pixels and surrounding areas are part of an eye or not part of an eye. Those identified pixels that are determined to be part of an eye are the detected red-eye regions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for increasing the perceived quality of displayed images. This is achieved in a variety of ways including the use of a plurality of device specific display characteristics when preparing images for display. It is also achieved through the monitoring of display device and/or ambient light conditions, e.g., on a periodic basis, and using the obtained information when controlling display output. Another approach to improving the perceived quality of displayed images involves the use of information relating to a specific user's ability to perceive image characteristics such as color. By customizing display output to an individual user's own physical perception capabilities and/or viewing characteristics it is possible to enhance the image quality perceived by the individual viewer as compared to embodiments which do not take into consideration individual user characteristics.

Abstract: The subject invention provides systems and methods that facilitate obfuscating a spam filtering system to hinder reverse engineering of the spam filters and/or to mitigate spammers from finding a message that consistently gets through the spam filters almost every time. The system includes a randomization component that randomizes a message score before the message is classified as spam or non-spam so as to obscure the functionality of the spam filter. Randomizing the message score can be accomplished in part by adding a random number or pseudo-random number to the message score before it is classified as spam or non-spam. The number added thereto can vary depending on at least one of several types of input such as time, user, message content, hash of message content, and hash of particularly important features of the message, for example. Alternatively, multiple spam filters can be deployed rather than a single best spam filter.

Abstract: Extracting features from signals for use in classification, retrieval, or identification of data represented by those signals uses a “Distortion Discriminant Analysis” (DDA) of a set of training signals to define parameters of a signal feature extractor. The signal feature extractor takes signals having one or more dimensions with a temporal or spatial structure, applies an oriented principal component analysis (OPCA) to limited regions of the signal, aggregates the output of multiple OPCAs that are spatially or temporally adjacent, and applies OPCA to the aggregate. The steps of aggregating adjacent OPCA outputs and applying OPCA to the aggregated values are performed one or more times for extracting low-dimensional noise-robust features from signals, including audio signals, images, video data, or any other time or frequency domain signal.

Abstract: A temperature sensor includes an elongated cylindrical thermal body having a longitudinal bore therethrough. The body also has a first, closed, heat sensing end and a second, open end. At least one thermocouple is mounted within the bore of the thermal body heat conducting relationship with the heat sensing end and extends outwardly through the second end for connection to a signal measuring device. The heat sensing first end of the thermal body is provided with male threads for screwing the first end into a threaded cavity in metal surface such as a metal vessel wall. The thermal body at about its mid-section has a diameter greater than the diameter of the first end and is threaded around the circumference. The sensor includes a lock nut which screws over the mid section locking the thermal body to a vessel wall when it is screwed into the cavity provided in the wall to receive the heat sensing end.

Abstract: A closure member for a pipe or pressure vessel, comprising a door adapted to fit an aperture in the body of the pipe or pressure vessel, a plurality of blocks slidably mounted adjacent the periphery of the door and movable from a position at least substantially wholly within the said periphery to a position in which a part of each block protrudes beyond the periphery for engagement with the said body, the said parts in the blocks together forming a protrusion extending substantially entirely round the periphery of the door, and means for moving the blocks from the withdrawn to the protruding position.